Together under one roof: Primrose Place. An ethnographic exploration of the lived experiences within a co-located intergenerational setting

Abstract

For many decades attempts have been made worldwide to reunite generations that have become segregated through societal, political and economic changes. In England, Primrose Place (pseudonym) is a co-located intergenerational setting where the nursery is physically situated within the building of a residential village for the over 55s. The children in the nursery and their older friends have many opportunities to share in varied experiences as they spend time together each day. The aim of this research was to explore, understand and interpret the participants’ views of their experiences within their co-located intergenerational setting. The participants included young children aged up to 4 years, nursery staff and residents living independently in the village. I was invited by the nursery to be part of their new social world and therefore took a qualitative philosophical position. The study was inductive and employed an interpretative ethnographic approach. A variety of ethnographic research methods were used including participant observations, interviews, focus group and the children’s voice. Through a reflexive thematic analysis of the data, three core findings arose: firstly co-location of intergenerational provision offers a particular social infrastructure which enhances opportunity for both planned and spontaneous interactions between the generations. Secondly, this therefore supports the development of meaningful relationships between the generations: children, residents and nursery staff; consequently a sense of family, belonging and community are developed within and beyond the Primrose Place building itself. Finally, co-location leads to a sense of transformation for the participants and a keenness that such provision should be replicated. These findings resonated with research conducted world-wide into the outcomes of co-located intergenerational practice and also synthesised with aspects of intergroup contact theory, intergenerational solidarity theory and elements of Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory, thus offering useful lenses to support the interpretation of co-located intergenerational practice. This study offers valuable insights into the worth of co-located intergenerational provision and its contribution towards building a more cohesive society with empathy for all generations. It also suggests the ways in which such provision can forge intergenerational solidarity and make significant contributions towards political, economic and social policy in the UK.